Somerset double thunderstorm warning as 'heatwave' ends
Somerset is set to be drenched today as the Met Office has issued back-to-back weather warnings. It brings a crashing end to the glorious mini-heatwave and Indian summer we have been experiencing.
There first yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in place from midday until 8pm today, Friday, September 20. A second thunderstorm warning from 1am until 23.59pm on Saturday, September 21.
The Met Office predicts a 90 per cent of thunderstorms in Somerset between 3pm and 5pm on Friday. There is a 90 per cent chance of heavy rain on Saturday - before an 80 per cent chance on Sunday.
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Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Neil Armstrong, said: “Thundery downpours are expected to develop in places across the south on Friday afternoon bringing frequent lightning, gusty winds, hail, and spells of heavy rain. The risk of thunderstorms persists into Saturday with potentially longer spells of heavy rain for some along with a continued risk of hail and lightning accompanying the most intense storms, particularly in parts of the Midlands, southern England and east Wales during Saturday afternoon and evening.
“The warnings cover the areas of the country most at risk of seeing thunderstorms but not everyone within a warning area will experience a thunderstorm. For many much of the time it will remain dry.
“We are also expecting these showers to merge into longer spells of heavy rain on Sunday and Monday across some southern and central parts, and once the full details become clearer, we may well issue further severe weather warnings so keep up to date with the latest forecast for your area”
There is likely to be frequent lightning strikes, gusty winds, hail and heavy rain during the warning. While the warning covers the East, London and the South East and the West Midlands, the southwest is most likely to see up to 40mm of rain fall in just three hours.
Forecasters have said there is a possibility that some buildings will be hit and damaged from lightning. They added that driving conditions will be difficult due to spray and standing water. People in areas prone to flooding have been warned that they should prepare flood kits.
There is also a chance that some properties may even lose power throughout the day. The Met Office added that "other services" may also be affected during the warning.
On the Met Office impact matrix, Friday's weather warning sits at a high possibility with a medium impact.
The Met Office said: "A few thundery showers may be present across southern and southeast England early on Friday, but from the middle of the day they are expected to develop more widely within the warning area.
"Whilst some places will remain dry, where thundery showers do occur, they will bring frequent lightning, gusty winds, potentially some large hail, as well as brief spells of heavy rain. 15-25 mm of rain fall may fall within an hour, with a very small chance of 30-40 mm falling in 3 hours; the latter most likely across southwest England. Showers will tend to ease and fade during Friday evening."
It's much of the same for Saturday's thunderstorm warning, although the Met Office warns "there is a small chance of fast flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life."